Brazilian midfielder praises Messi as "God of Football"; Casemiro hopes to fight alongside the legend and create a new chapter in Miami.

Brazilian star Casemiro officially debuted at Inter Miami in Major League Soccer (MLS) this Thursday. At the press conference, he made no secret of his admiration for his new teammate Lionel Messi, praising his former La Liga rival as "the god of football".

Brazilian star Casemiro (right) officially accepted the Inter Miami jersey. (AFP)

The former Real Madrid star midfielder said, "Of course I came here because of him. My goal is to help him and Inter Miami." Speaking about the Argentine legend who is now the team's captain, Casemiro said firmly, "I want to enjoy playing alongside him, helping him win, and making him even greater. In my eyes, he is a god of football, if not the only one, then one of the gods."

Casemiro has officially moved to MLS after four seasons with Manchester United. He made his debut for Inter Miami as a substitute in last Saturday's match against Montreal, helping his team to a 1-0 victory. Argentine star Lionel Messi was rested for the match due to his participation in the World Cup final, which ended in a defeat to Spain less than two weeks prior.

Casemiro specifically mentioned that he had faced Messi of Barcelona many times in El Clásico representing Real Madrid, and now being teammates with him feels completely different. "I know he's simply unstoppable. I've never been able to defend against him before," Casemiro said with a laugh. "I always needed my teammates to help me defend. But now, after only two training sessions with him, I'm even more certain—he really is unstoppable."

Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas, beaming, personally handed Casemiro's pink jersey at a press conference. Regarding the league's recent investigation into potential "tampering" by the team, Mas vehemently denied any wrongdoing. The investigation focuses on MLS's "discovery rights," which teams must obtain before negotiating with certain high-profile players.

It is understood that Casemiro was previously on the LA Galaxy's scouting list. Mas emphasized that the team contacted the Galaxy before reaching out to Casemiro or his agent, and all procedures were carried out in accordance with regulations. "Rules are rules, and we fully comply with the law and league regulations," Mas reiterated, adding that Inter Miami completed the signing entirely legally and compliantly.